July 3, 1954 — US Women’s Open, LPGA Tour, Salem Country Club, Peabody MA

I don’t like to keep bringing up this hospital deal of mine, but I was laying there in Room 201 at the Hotel Dieu Hospital, and there were reports going out that I’d never play championship or tournament golf again, and I laid in the bed and I said, “Please, God, let me play again.” And he answered my prayer, and I want to thank God for letting me win again.

[In answer to a reporter’s question. . . ] Now I’m happy because I can tell people not to be afraid of cancer. I’ve had over 15,000 letters from people and this victory today is an answer to them — it will show a lot of people that they need not be afraid of an operation and can go on and live a normal life. I really wanted to win this one and I’m glad I could hold my concentration. Winning my first tournament, the Serbin Open, after my operation and this big one today makes me feel wonderful. That’s right — now I don’t expect to retire for twenty years. I promised to God that if he made me well, I’d do everything in my power to help the fight against cancer.

Source: Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, by Don Van Natta Jr. (New York: Little, Brown, 2011), p. 312.